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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The head of the state's anti-discrimination office, Joe Gallegos, has resigned from his post after discrimination complaints were aimed at him, and he will be assigned to another post within state government.
Labor Commissioner R. Lee Ellertson told The Salt Lake Tribune in a copyright story that a probe found no merit to the claims of illegal discrimination.
Ellertson said he has asked Gallegos to stay on in the post until a permanent replacement is found. At that time, Gallegos will be reassigned to another job, yet to be determined, within the Utah Anti-Discrimination and Labor Division.
Ellertson refused to release an 11-page report on the investigation into Gallegos' conduct.
"I conclude that the interests favoring restriction on access outweigh the interests favoring disclosure," Ellertson said in a letter denying the Tribune's open-records request.
"The report says there were some style of management issues. (Gallegos) is not perfect. Everybody has weaknesses," Ellertson said.
"I really ought to pat him on the back for all of the good things he's done for the state of Utah," said Ellertson. "Overall, he has done a nice job."
Gallegos declined to comment.
"I have a legal and ethical responsibility not to comment on the charges," he told The Tribune last week.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
